During his speech to the 69th session of the UN General Assembly in 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi suggested the notion of a designated yoga day. All 193 UN member nations unanimously decided to commemorate the International Day of Yoga on June 21 on December 11, 2014.
In 2015, International Yoga Day was established with the intention of increasing public awareness of the numerous benefits of yoga as a form of exercise. On June 21, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lead a yoga session at the UN Headquarters for the first time. This year’s International Day of Yoga is the ninth iteration.
The title of this year’s International Day of Yoga, “Yoga for Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam,” perfectly captures our shared ambition of “One Earth, One Family, One Future.”
Yoga
Yoga is a sophisticated, age-old practice that has its roots in Indian philosophy. Although it started out as a spiritual practice, it has gained popularity as a means of fostering both physical and mental wellbeing.
In the United States, yoga practitioners traditionally focus on three main components of classical yoga, namely asanas, pranayama, and dyana, although there are other components involved.
The word “yoga” is an acronym for “union.” It is a branch of philosophy that seeks to unite the soul of a person with the unchanging truth. Worldwide, yoga is becoming more and more popular. It is considered more holistically in the East as a means of integrating the body and the mind than it is in the West as a form of physical exercise (PE).
Yoga as a Therapeutic Journey
Yoga is a type of mind-body exercise that combines physical strain with a conscious interior emphasis on awareness of the self, the breath, and energy. The therapeutic approach of yoga is based on four fundamental concepts. Since the human body is a holistic system made up of several interconnected dimensions that are entirely connected to one another, the health or illness of any one dimension has an impact on all the other dimensions.The second tenet is that each person is different and that each person has different needs.
As a result, each person should be treated as an individual, and practices should be adjusted as required. The third tenet of yoga is that it empowers the practitioner to be their own healer. Yoga involves the learner in the healing process; by taking an active part in their quest for health, the student experiences increased autonomy and internal healing rather than external healing. The fourth tenet is that healing depends greatly on a person’s mental makeup and condition. recovery proceeds more rapidly when the person is in a positive mental state; conversely, if the person is in a negative mental state, recovery can take longer.
Types Of Yoga
VINYASA YOGA:
One of the most practised types of yoga in the US is vinyasa. Although vinyasa, like in Ashtanga vinyasa, can be a fixed series of postures that never alter, flow vinyasa sessions will vary each time. Power yoga, Baptiste yoga, Jivamukti, and prana flow are other variations of vinyasa yoga. These are some of the most physically demanding and athletic classes. Pacing starts slowly and then increases quicker, linking breathing and movement together. Vinyasa strives to make the body stronger and contributes to the development of lean muscular mass.
BIKRAM YOGA:
It is also called Hot Yoga which takes place in a hot room where you practise a set series of moves to help blood flow which takes place in a heated environment. consists of slow, steady movements that stretch muscles and boost circulation. The temperature in the room is often raised to a range between the high 80s and 105 degrees Fahrenheit.
HATHA YOGA:
Ashtanga, vinyasa, and power yoga are all included in the category of hatha yoga. In contrast to vinyasa courses, hatha classes frequently move through their poses more slowly. Before starting the next position, poses are normally held for a few breaths. What unites many hatha yoga styles is the idea that your breathing patterns should be connected to the physical positions and postures.
ASHTANGA YOGA:
Ashtanga yoga is a vigorous style of yoga that swiftly transitions between poses. There are predetermined sequences that are designed to be performed in a particular order, unlike flow or vinyasa yoga.
KUNDALINI YOGA:
In kundalini yoga, postures, breathing, meditation, and mantra chanting are all combined. Kundalini yoga has historically been used to “awaken” the many energies that exist inside each of us and to raise consciousness.
YIN YOGA:
There is no flowing from one posture to the next in yin yoga. On the floor or when resting on your back or belly, you remain basically sitting. It emphasises stretching and is more passive. And unlike other forms of yoga, the positions are held for longer.In a different way than active stretching, this form of stretching may benefit the joints.
YOGA NIDRA:
Yoga nidra is less of a lesson loaded with poses and more of a meditation. The instructor leads the class in concentrating on and relaxing various body areas as the students lie on their backs with a blanket or bolster for added comfort. Yoga nidra practitioners are urged to “let go” and submit to complete relaxation and calm. It may be just as restorative and calming as sleep itself.
Physical Benefits Of Yoga
- Greater adaptability
- Enhanced muscular tone and strength
- Improved respiration, energy, and vitality
- Keeping a healthy metabolism
- Decrease in weight
- The cardiovascular and vascular health
- An increase in athletic performance
- Protection against injury
Psychological Benefits of Yoga
RELEASE HELPFUL BRAIN CHEMICALS:
The majority of exercises cause the brain’s “feel-good” chemicals to be released. Brain messengers such as dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine are among these mood-boosting substances. Despite being calm and regulated, yoga motions nonetheless increase heart rate, put a lot of strain on the muscles, and uplift the release of brain chemicals. Yoga can therefore increase your happiness
RELIEVE DEPRESSION:
According to studies, yoga can help with depression. Researchers have compared yoga to other therapies, including medicine and psychotherapy. Yoga often costs less money and has fewer adverse effects than many medications. Even those with significant depressive illness can benefit from it. More research is needed on yoga’s potential to treat depression due to a lack of sufficient controlled studies.
REDUCE STRESS:
In a poll asking Americans why they practised yoga, 86% of them responded that it helped them manage stress. Sleep efficiency improved, representing the proportion of time in bed dedicated to actual sleep. The relaxed environment, soothing music, and upbeat attitude that are common in yoga courses may also be helpful to you.
EASE ANXIETY:
Yoga helps with anxiety. Yoga’s emphasis on breath control may be particularly useful because anxiety and breathing issues are related. Yoga might not be beneficial if you have an anxiety issue. Nevertheless, some psychologists are adding yoga to other types of treatment.
IMPROVE SLEEP:
Yoga may help you sleep better, according to research. For elderly persons in particular, this could be the case. Participants in a study of yoga practitioners over the age of 60 reported improved sleep quality and quantity. Sleep efficiency, which represents the proportion of time in bed dedicated to actual sleep, also experienced improvement.
ENHANCE SOCIAL LIFE:
You could gain from talking to other people in your group if you take a yoga session in person. Both mental and physical health may reflect the benefits of social connections. Additionally, synchrony—a term used to describe coordinated behaviour—brings about particular social advantages. You may have a sense of belonging and help the group bond by breathing and moving at the same time as everyone else.
Although yoga is a low-risk practise, it can nonetheless result in injuries, most commonly sprains or strains. Injury might result from poor technique, pre-existing problems, or just from trying too hard. It may be possible to link certain injuries to teachers who lack proper training. Most followers of yoga don’t let the possibility of injury stop them from practising. Less than 1% of people who injured themselves while doing yoga stopped. The dangers of yoga are increased for older people, who may have reduced bone density and muscular strength.
